He irritably dismissed Empress Gong and paced alone in the palace for a long time.
Ultimately, his immense worry for the Northern Barbarians outweighed his extreme distrust of Zhao Muyun.
He needs to assess and weigh the options!
"Someone come here!"
Li Jingang shouted in a deep voice, "Secretly issue an imperial edict summoning Feng Liang, the Minister of War, the Minister of Revenue, and the Minister of Rites to the palace immediately for a meeting! This must be kept quiet!"
The side hall of the imperial palace was brightly lit late at night.
The Right Chancellor and Li Jingang's chief strategist, Feng Liang, along with three key ministers, were urgently summoned, all filled with doubt, wondering why His Majesty had summoned them so late at night.
Li Jingang didn't beat around the bush; he directly told everyone the news the Empress had heard and Zhao Muyun's intention to "cooperate against the Di." He did so with a stern face.
In an instant, the side hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Several high-ranking officials were stunned by this sudden news.
The Minister of War was the first to react and said urgently:
"Your Majesty! This is merely a delaying tactic by Zhao Muyun; it must not be trusted! He is surely trying to appease us because he sees the strength of the Northern Barbarians, so that he can take the opportunity to consolidate his power in Xijing and expand his influence!"
"Once our army and the Northern Barbarians are both severely weakened, he can reap the benefits!"
The Minister of Revenue, however, held a different opinion. He looked distressed and said:
"What the Minister said makes sense. Now the Northern Di army is pressing on the border, and the Hebei defense line is under pressure everywhere. We are already stretched thin in terms of food, pay, and troop deployment."
"If the western front can be stabilized for the time being, or even if it is just a matter of non-aggression, our dynasty can concentrate its forces to deal with the Northern Barbarians! This is truly a glimmer of hope to alleviate the current crisis!"
The Minister of Rites, however, was deeply concerned about the greater principles of propriety and law: "Your Majesty, Zhao Muyun is a traitor. If we cooperate with him, wouldn't that be tantamount to acknowledging his position? This would damage the dignity of the court and the morale of the scholars throughout the land..."
"Enough!" Li Jingang interrupted their argument impatiently. "Do you think I don't know these principles? I summoned you here to hear your opinions on whether this matter is feasible, and what its advantages and disadvantages are."
Feng Liang had remained silent until now, when he finally spoke, his shrewd gaze sweeping over the crowd:
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, this matter is... half true and half false, with both risks and opportunities."
He analyzed, "Zhao Muyun is a man of great talent and ambition, and he is by no means someone who would be content to be subordinate to others."
"His proposal for cooperation is not a genuine submission, and this is one point that we must be wary of. However, his statement that 'the Northern Barbarians are a common threat to China' is true."
"If the Northern Barbarians break through the pass and wreak havoc on the Central Plains, the harm they cause will far exceed Zhao Muyun's separatist regime. This is the second reason, and we must be concerned about it."
"In my humble opinion," Feng Liang said, looking at Li Jingang, "we should first test the waters. Your Majesty could send a trusted confidant to Xijing or a pre-arranged location to make contact with Zhao Muyun's people, to ascertain their true intentions and sincerity."
"If they truly intend to cooperate, even if it is only a temporary non-aggression pact, it would greatly benefit our dynasty in concentrating its efforts on resisting the Northern Barbarians."
"At the same time, we will strictly keep the news under wraps and never admit to any involvement in this matter. As for General Li Hu, if he can use this opportunity to win back his troops, it will be a good thing for morale."
Feng Liang's suggestion was a compromise and pragmatic solution, neither rejecting the possible turning point outright nor failing to fully consider the risks and political implications.
As Li Jingang listened, his expression shifted between light and dark, his fingers tapping incessantly on the armrest of the dragon throne, clearly indicating that he was still struggling intensely within himself.
Cooperating with traitors was something his proud heart found extremely difficult to accept.
But the threat from the Northern Barbarians was so imminent…
Just as the atmosphere in the side hall was heavy and Li Jingang was struggling to make a decision—
Suddenly, a eunuch's hurried and slightly panicked voice came from outside the hall:
"Report! Your Majesty! Urgent military news... no, it's... it's Prime Minister Yang! Prime Minister Yang... he's back! He's requesting an audience outside the palace gates right now!"
"Yang Yan is back?"
This announcement, like another thunderclap, resounded in the side hall!
Everyone was stunned, including Li Jingang.
Yang Yan is still alive?
Did he escape from Xijing?
Why the sudden return at this sensitive time?
Li Jingang suddenly stood up, his expression extremely complicated.
There was surprise, scrutiny, doubt, and also an indescribable expectation that they might be able to obtain accurate information about Xijing from it.
"Summon him! Summon him in immediately!"
Li Jingang's voice had a slightly hoarse quality that was barely perceptible.
All eyes turned to the entrance of the palace.
What changes will Yang Yan's return bring to this heated debate about "cooperation"?
How will the firsthand intelligence he brings from Xijing influence Li Jingang's final decision?
The air inside the side hall seemed to freeze.
The high-ranking officials who had just been fiercely debating Zhao Muyun's "cooperation" proposal were now holding their breath, their eyes fixed on the heavy palace door.
A complex atmosphere, a mixture of surprise, suspicion, and scrutiny, filled the air.
Yang Yan's life or death is of great importance. His sudden return is undoubtedly like throwing a boulder into an already turbulent undercurrent.
The footsteps approached slowly and somewhat unsteadily.
The palace door was pushed open by a palace attendant, and a figure staggered in against the light of the corridor.
When the newcomer was fully exposed to the bright candlelight in the side hall, everyone gasped.
Where is this the same Yang Yan, the powerful and spirited Left Chancellor of yesteryear?
His clothes were tattered; his once-luxurious purple robe was now covered in mud and dried blood, torn in many places, barely covering his body.
His hair was disheveled, his face was etched with tired lines and grime, his eyes were sunken, and his lips were chapped.
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